The Ducks' Ryan Getzlaf (left) celebrates his goal with Corey Perry for a 1-0 lead over the Minnesota Wild in December 2011 at Honda Center.

The Anaheim Ducks' Corey Perry (10), left, and Ryan Getzlaf (15) slap hands after their 2-1 victory at Honda Center in April 2011

Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf chats with friend and teammate Corey Perry -- The Anaheim Ducks compete in various skills competitions during their Skills Showdown at the Honda Center in February 2012.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Even in an NHL season that is starting three months too late, excitement and hope permeated the Ducks’ dressing room at Rogers Arena on the eve of Saturday’s opener against the Vancouver Canucks.

As it should. But few on the outside seem to see the need to get too worked up over their chances. You will have to look far and wide to find those that have a rosy outlook on the Ducks over this compact 48-game sprint in the next 99 days.

It is what a 13th-place finish in the Western Conference gets you. Those in the prediction business don’t see the Ducks doing much better, and the team is well aware of that.

“We’re the bottom-feeders,” Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said. “That’s one we read today. You know what? The great thing about predictions is most people get them all wrong. So that’s what we’re counting on.”

The pieces of a rebirth are there. Teemu Selanne hasn’t slowed down, Corey Perry can still score goals with the best of them, Bobby Ryan is still in town and Ryan Getzlaf can’t have another season like his last one.

If defensemen Cam Fowler and Luca Sbisa continue to mature, if newcomers Sheldon Souray, Bryan Allen and Dan Winnik make an impact and if Jonas Hiller approaches Vezina Trophy level again, then there is something to crow about.

Except what is being talked about is the future of Getzlaf and Perry with the franchise. The two cornerstone forwards are in the final year of their contracts and could become the prizes of this summer’s free-agent class.

It is a story, Boudreau insists, for others to chew on.

“Not in the room,” he said. “It’s not breathed about, talked about or whatever. Obviously the media, it’s a story that they can get some teeth into. They’re going to probably continue it.

“But as far as anything on that front, I defer to other people. I just know when I come in the room, they’re both there. They both got great attitudes. Let’s play and see what else happens.”

It won’t just be about playing. A large media throng gathered around Getzlaf and Perry in the visitors’ dressing room as Vancouver appeared to be the Ducks’ first stop on the Contract Questions Tour instead of their Road to Redemption.

The two made it clear they don’t want to turn the season into a circus. It appears they’re at least thinking of putting an embargo on the subject after their brief trip ends Monday in Calgary.

“We’ll we’re not going to talk about it very longer,” Getzlaf said. “I’m going to do a few interviews today and tomorrow and in Calgary. And then we’re kind of done talking about it. We have nothing left to talk about until there’s something to talk about.

“As for now, we’re going to look to the present right now and worry about ourselves.”

Said Perry: “I’m not going to talk about it any more. If it gets done, it gets done. If not, we’ll move forward.”

But can they really keep the inquiries at every stop they make from turning into a big distraction? In an earlier interview with the Register, Perry *said he* is already blocking the contract talk out.

“It’s going to be the same answer over and over again,” he said. “It’s just going to be hockey. I don’t have any control over that. So whatever they start talking about, it doesn’t matter to me. I’m out there to play hockey. That’s all that matters.”

For the record, Getzlaf has been a bit more forthcoming about where things stand with relation to re-signing with the Ducks. Perry simply said “it’s not anywhere” in response to a reporter’s question Thursday about his contract status.

Getzlaf also noted that his last contract – a five-year extension similar to Perry’s deal worth more than $26.6 million – was hammered out during the season.

“Anaheim is my first option and I’ve told Murph that for a long time,” he said. “We’ll see what we can do.”

The Ducks are counting on a return to form for the trio of Getzlaf, Perry and Ryan. Getzlaf had a career-low 11 goals and only 57 points. Perry’s goals and points went from 50 and 98 in his MVP year to 37 and 60. Ryan had 30-plus goals for the fourth consecutive season but his point total slipped from 71 to 57.

They’re also hoping Selanne will keep defying his 42 years, and the defense corps and goaltending has to be better than 19th in goals-against last season. But the Ducks will also use the dim forecasts as something to feed off of.

“Of course, it’s motivation,” Getzlaf said. “Coming out of the season we had last year, everything’s motivation right now. All the rankings always come out of the season before. And you know we don’t belong anywhere else.

“We didn’t play very well last year for the most part. But we did play the way we wanted to in the second half of the season. It’s exciting for us going into this year. It’s a matter of getting out on the ice and playing hockey.”

Said a blunt Selanne: “That can’t be the only motivation. But hopefully we’ll get (ticked) off here.”

Veteran center Saku Koivu understands that their poor record a year ago doesn’t inspire much hope beyond. Now in his fourth year with the Ducks, Koivu said they have the talent to win and “whatever people think doesn’t really make a lot of difference.”

“I know when this team can get that focus going and we can get everybody playing, we’re a heck of a team and tough team to beat,” Koivu said. “But at the same time, the challenge, like we all know, has been having the consistency.

“I’m not going out to say we’re going to do this and that. But we know the reality. We know the potential this team has.”

Like many others, Selanne is calling the lockout-shortened season a sprint where a slow start can finish a team’s playoff hopes before the calendar turns to March. The winger is convinced they’re the group that was 24-14-6 in their final 44 games.

“If you look at the second half, I think we were the third-best team in the league,” he said. “That’s what we have to shoot (for). Obviously there’s nothing you can do about the first half last year.

“But the way how we finished, that’s what matters. And that’s what matters now. That’s why I said, I hope that we can carry over that second half to right now. But you’ve got to be ready every night. There’s no passengers. There’s no nights off.”

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